Audiphone



C. FENSKY AUDIPHONE Dec. 8 l925- Filed Feb. 4. 1924 fia.

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Patented Dec. y8, 1925.

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CHARLES FENSKY, OF ST. .'LOTJS, IMYSSOURI.

, AUDIPHONE.

Application filed February To @ZZ whom t may con cern.'

Be it known that l. CHARLES FnNsKY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri,

have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Audipliones, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in audiphones, and has for its primary object a device for improving the hearing which is designed to lie wholly within the interior and exterior ear thereby rendering it practically invisible and eliminating the necessity of any fastening or supporting means other than the ear itself.

A further object is to construct an audiphone which is supported entirely by the ear and which when in position is in direct contact with the bony structure of the ear so that any sound wave striking the audiphone will set it in vibration, and this vibration be imparted to the bony structure of the ear, from whence it is transferred to the auditory nerves.

This device is an improvement on applications iiled by me for improvements in audi@ phones, filed May 2, 1923, Serial No. 636,067, and tiled @ctober 4, 1923, Serial No. 666,477. respectively.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the concha or ear showing my device in position;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation viewing the same from the outer or exposed side:

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite side;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line Ll-l of Fig. 3 viewed in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 5 is a view of the concha showing a modified form of audiphone;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same viewing the same from the inside side;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 7 7 of Figx; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of an ear showing one of my devices in position therein.

In the construction of my device I employ a hollow or tubular member 9 which is provided at one end with an external bead 10` This bead is primarily for the purpose of eliminating sharp edges, but also assists in holding the device in position. The opposite end of the member 9 is provided with a holexternal d, 1924. Serial No. 690,6l2.

low enlargement 11, which member is en- -y closed. The end of the member 9 adjacent the bead is also closed bv means of a diaphragm 19,. his diaphragm when in position is secured in such a manner that the iembers 9 and 11 are hermetically sealed. Secured to the enlargement 11 is a hollow curved member 13. rlhis member is secured at one end to the enlargement 11 and has communication with the interior thereof (see Fig. fl) the free end however is closed. rlhis curved portion is adapted to lie within the concha or outer ear as illustrated in Fig. 1 and assists materially in holding the device in position.

l may however if desired, eliminate the curved hollow portion 1.3 and close the meinber 11 entirely, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and .7. This form may be desired by some persons as only a minimum amount of the device is visible.

in Fig, 8 l have shown a diagrammatic view in which 1li is the concha or outer ear, 15 the malleus and 1G the Eustachian tube. lt will be noted from this view that the end 10 of the member 9 bears against the malleus 15 so that any vibrations set up in the audiphone and especially the material out of which it is constructed, will be imparted directly to the malleus and from there to the auditory nerves and so on to the organs cf hearing. This makesV my device especially useful where the ear drum is entirely 0r partially destroyed, as it prevents the sound waves from passing down through the lilustachian tube without vibrating the auditory nerves.

device is also useful where the ear drum is perfect but has become thickened through illness or disease to such an extent that it does not vibrate properly.

lt is also possible to charge my device with radium or place radium salts within the hollow member previous to sealing it. This charging the device with radium, it is believed, will prove very beneiicial in certain ear troubles and possibly lead in time to the curing thereof so as to restore normal hearing.

rlhe enlargen'ient 11. on the end of the member 9 and the cui-ved portion 13, when used, not only serves to supportvthe device in the ear, but limit the depth of insertion of the member 9 and also presents a large surface for the reception of the sound vibrations.

It is to be especially noted that my device While hollow, is entirely closed so that ther is no possibility whatever ot' any air currents being formed within the device and setting up false vibrations thereby causing unnecessary and disturbing,` noises.

While I have shown my device as constructed ot' metal, still it is possible to use other materials for its construction without departing 'from the spirit yof my invention. The essential feature being to construct the audiphone or rather use a material which will readily vibrate in sympathy with the sound waves strikingit and impart these vibrations to certain portions of the interior ear so that they will be readily transferred to the auditory nerves.

My device is essentially rigid in that it is not collapsible, but however, is constructed of material which is suiiic-iently elastic to be sensitive to sound vibrations and vibrate in unison therewith so that all sound waves transmitted thereby will be taken up by the auditory nerves without distortion.

Having llully described my invention, what claim is l. An audiphone comprising` a rigid hermetically sealed elongated hollow member having an integra-.lv enlargement at one end, the end oit said member opposite said enlargement adapted to be inserted in the inadapted to the inserted in the interior ear so that said bead establishes eon'imunication with the malleus oic the ear, sai-:3i hollow member being sutiicientiy elastie to vibrate in unison with sound Waves striking the enlargement.

3. An audiphone comprising a hollow member hermetically sealed, said hollow member having a curved portion formed at an angle thereto, and an enlargement intergosed between the curved portion and the ren'iainder of the member, said member being adapted to vibrate in unison Yith sound waves striking the eur-ve d enlarged portions, the remainder ol salu member adapted to be inserted in the ear and establish con-1- munication with the malleus, whereby said malleus receives the vibration imparted to the hollow men'iber.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciiication.

CHARLES FENSYY. 

